The Vikings were met with defeat at the Thanksgiving game against the Canalmen 26-36 on Thursday, Nov. 23, and Bourne will remain in possession of the trophy for another year.

“Obviously, it's not the result we wanted,” said Wareham Interim Head Coach Chris Gardner.

Gardner said going into the game, the Vikings were aware of Bourne’s play style.

“We knew what they were going to do and they do it well,” he said about Bourne. “We just couldn't stop it. They're getting five, six yards every time they touch the ball.”

He added the defeat was especially “frustrating” because of how well Wareham’s offense played.

Gardner said the loss wasn’t for a lack of effort. The team “just couldn’t get it done.”

Not winning the trophy since 2017 “doesn’t feel good,” said Gardner.

Gardner added that even though the team didn’t make the playoffs, he wanted the Vikings to take home the trophy because they still had a “pretty good year.”

“Having that trophy would have been pretty sweet to finish the season, especially for the seniors,” he said. “That was the biggest thing — to have them go out on a win like that.”

However, with Thanksgiving in mind, Gardner said he is thankful for the “opportunity to do this — to give them the season that they envisioned when they started in August.”

He said he is also thankful for all of the seniors as well as assistant coaches, adding those coaches are the ones behind “everything that we’ve done this year.”

In regard to the team, Gardner said, “It wasn't an easy thing for them to have a new head coach three quarters of the way in the season and I think they handled it pretty well.”

He said the last thing he is thankful for is the opportunity to coach them.